Payroll and Compensation

For payroll purposes, it is assumed that the faculty member or the postdoctoral scholar with academic year appointments begin their work obligation on August 16th and end on May 15th, while their payment schedule is spread across the entire fiscal year (July 1 to June 30). This payment schedule provides the faculty member or the postdoctoral scholar with an uninterrupted income stream across the entire fiscal year.

Note: Employees on an academic year contract do not receive a check in July of their first year. They receive two months (or two twelfths) of their pay in August, after they have actually started work.

More information regarding academic year appointment payroll can be found at the University Controller’s Office.

You can view and print your paycheck via MyPack Portal from Employee Self Service > Pay Check > Click on the paycheck you wish to view/print and it will open a PDF document in a separate window (be sure your pop up blocker is disabled).

Your paycheck stub is available for viewing as soon as University Payroll completes the processing of the payroll, usually three to four days prior to payday. Your pay will not be deposited into your bank account until the “check date” noted on the stub.

Note for biweekly employees: Biweekly employees receive their paycheck two weeks after the last day of the pay period. Please refer to the biweekly payroll calendar for details. Additionally, if your supervisor do not approve your timesheet for the payroll period by supervisor lockout, you will not receive payment for those hours worked. 

If you believe that your paycheck is incorrect, please reach out to Wilson College OHR (Textiles-HR@ncsu.edu) immediately. 

All individuals paid through NC State University’s payroll system must participate in the University’s Direct Deposit program. 

Exceptions

• Federal Work-Study Participants Only – Students being paid under the Federal Work-Study program are not required to enroll in the University’s Direct Deposit program, but are encouraged to receive their pay by direct deposit. Work-Study students wishing to receive a paper check must pick their check up each payday in the University Payroll Office.
• Special Consideration – If a bank rejects a Direct Deposit transaction because of a closed account or entry of incorrect or incomplete account information, then a check will be issued for that payperiod, but ONLY after the money has been returned to the University.

Note: The return transaction can take up to seven (7) business days to process.

• Foreign National Exemption – Foreign nationals are required to present their Social Security card to the Foreign National Tax office before signing up for Direct Deposit.
• See REG05.45.01 for additional exemptions.

Direct Deposit Enrollment/Update

Enrolling in Direct Deposit: Log into the MyPack Portal, and click on the Employee Self Service tab at the top of the page. You will find “Direct Deposit ” under Payroll and Compensation. You will need to have your bank’s routing number and your account number for each account (up to a total of three) that you want to deposit all or part of your net pay into. If you are unsure of these numbers please contact your bank.  Entering incorrect or incomplete information will result in a daily of your receiving your pay.

Updating/Changing your Account Information: Due to security concerns, as of April 2014, the option to change your direct deposit via Employee Self Service has been temporary suspended.  All changes must be processed by University Payroll. To make a change to your existing direct deposit information complete the direct deposit change form and bring it, along with any applicable documentation and a photo ID, to the University Payroll Office. 

Federal Advisory for International ACH (Automated Clearing House) Transactions: Employees who forward the entire amount of their NCSU pay to a bank in another country (after having it direct deposited by NCSU into a US bank) must notify University Payroll at (919) 515-4355, per the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Treasury Department.

Break in Service
If your position is terminated and you are rehired within 90 days, your direct deposit will continue without interruption. After 90 days, you will need to process your enrollment again. Temporary employees who are inactive (do not receive a paycheck) for 90 days will also need to enroll again.

Information regarding direct deposit retrieved from University Human Resources.

For any direct deposit related questions, please email University Payroll (hrpayroll@ncsu.edu) or contact Meghan Kosbe at 919-513-7606 or Regina House at 919-515-4355. 

Upon hire, the tax withholding for all new employees, including student employees, is set to marital status = Single and number of personal allowances = 0. If you wish to claim something other than Single, 0 for both federal and state tax purposes, you will need to make the change via Employee Self Service. You can do so via MyPack Portal from Employee Self Service > Payroll and Compensation > NC4/W4 tax data.

If you are unsure as to what you should claim, discuss the matter with your parents or a tax adviser.

Note: If you will be working in a state other than North Carolina you must contact University Payroll (hrpayroll@ncsu.edu / 919-515-4350) for the correct state tax form.

Foreign National Student Employees do not have access to update the Tax Data panel. Please schedule an appointment with the International Compensation and Taxation office to ensure taxes are charged correctly based on your work authorization and country of origin treaty agreements. Appointments can be scheduled by emailing ictquestions@ncsu.edu.

Information regarding federal and state income tax withholding retrieved from University Human Resources.

Social Security and Medicare taxes are collectively known as FICA (the Federal Insurance Contributions Act). Social Security / Medicare taxable earnings are the total salary plus non-wage compensation, reduced by “pre-tax” deductions (examples of pre-tax deductions: dental, health, and vision insurance premiums, dependent care, flexible medical savings account, supplemental medical plan and pre-taxed parking – Complete list found here).

Social Security and Medicare

• Social Security Tax or Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI)
• Withheld at a flat 6.2% of taxable gross
• Maximum wage base of $117,000 in 2014.

Medicare or Hospital Insurance (HI)

• 1.45% of taxable gross with on up to $200,000
• .9% applied on wages in excess of $200,000

Exemptions from FICA withholding

• Federal employees are exempt from social security taxes, but subject to Medicare taxes
• Employees with F-1 and J-1 visa in nonresident tax status
• Students enrolled at least half time credit hours in the current semester and working less than 30 hours per week
  • Undergraduates – Enrolled 6 credit hours or more in the fall/spring semesters and enrolled 3 credit hours or more in each summer session
  • Graduates – Enrolled 3 credit hours or more in the fall/spring semesters and enrolled 1 credit hour or more in each summer session
  • Graduated and Undergraduates enrolled in 10-week summer courses are exempt in both summer sessions.

Note: Anyone exempted from social security taxes is not eligible to apply for unemployment benefits and receive social security service credit toward retirement for that time worked. 

Information regarding FICA Tax – Social Security and Medicare retrieved from University Human Resources.

Definition: A W-2 form is a wage and tax statement used to report wages paid and the taxes withheld from those wages for a given calendar year.  A copy of this form is given to the employee, the IRS and the state taxing authority (if applicable) each January for the prior calendar (tax) year.

Distribution of W-2 Forms

In January of each year, the University will provide you with a W-2 Wage and Tax Statement for the prior calendar (tax) year. Due to IRS regulations, the University is required to print your W-2 and mail it to your home UNLESS you elect on Employee Self Service (ESS) that you would like to receive your W2 electronically. You can do so via MyPack Portal from Employee Self Service > Payroll and Compensation > W2/W2c Consent and follow the prompts.

Those who wish to receive a paper copy should see it in their mailbox the first week of February. Those employees who changed their preference from paper to electronic will receive an email when the form is available for viewing and printing in ESS, usually by January 15th. Be sure your Internet browser’s Pop-up blocker is disabled before attempting to print your W-2. If it is not disabled, the W-2 will not open.

Amended W-2’s

Form W-2c (an amended W-2) will also be available to view/print online if one is needed to denote changes to your earnings or taxes. If such a form is necessary, an email notification will be sent when the form is available for viewing.

Requesting a Duplicate W-2

Current employees are able to access their W-2 form online starting with the 2008 form and can print a copy at any time.  If a current employee requires a duplicate W-2 that was issued prior to 2008 or if a previous employee, who no longer has access to Employee Self Services, requires a copy of a W-2 form, they must complete a Duplicate W-2 request form and submit it to University Payroll.

Please note: For security purposes, we cannot fax or email W-2’s. They can be picked up in the University Payroll Office with proper identification or they can be mailed via US Mail.

Information regarding direct deposit retrieved from University Human Resources.

International Compensation and Taxation (ICT) assists NC State to successfully compensate and tax the university’s foreign national students, scholars, and employees. International Compensation and Taxation is responsible for ensuring compliance with payment and taxation regulations and procedures as well as providing guidance for the University’s employees working outside of the United States. ICT stays current with relevant U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), Department of Labor, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and NC Department of Revenue (NC DOR) regulations, policies, and compliance.

All Foreign Nationals who employed on campus or who will receive a fellowship, scholarship, and certain payments processed through the University Controller’s office are required to have a tax assessment. 

Appointments can be scheduled by emailing ictquestions@ncsu.edu.

International Compensation and Taxation (ICT)

• Benefits – Benefits point of contact for Wilson College of Textiles: Britt Hurst (sbmoose@ncsu.edu / 919-513-3748)
• Garnishments
• Parking Fees and Fines
• All Campus Card / Wolfpack One Card
• Gym Membership
• Give to NC State via Payroll

Deduction Cancellation

Some voluntary deduction plans can be canceled online via MyPack Portal. Once you have logged into the portal, select Employee Self Service > Payroll and Compensation > Voluntary deductions.

If it is not available via MyPack Portal, please contact the following departments:

• Graduate Fees – studentaccounts@ncsu.edu
• Gym Membership – University Recreation at (919) 515-7529
• Cooperative Extension Employees – CALS Personnel Office at (919) 515-2708
• State Employees Association of North Carolina – SEANC Office at (800) 222-2758
• Benefits – Human Resources Benefits Office at (919) 515-2151

If not listed above, contact University Payroll at hrpayroll@ncsu.edu

Additional compensation is payment for effort that is 

1. Clearly outside the scope of the employee’s job description or faculty Statement of Faculty Responsibilities (SFR) 
2. Performed outside of normal work effort, or
3. Adds extra work effort in addition to effort spent on normal job duties. 

In general, Additional Compensation is payment for task-based activities for twelve months or less. NC State pays summer salary to faculty via additional compensation.

• Additional summer salary information.
• Additional Compensation Resources and Training Materials
• Additional Compensation Earnings Codes / Time-Reporting Codes Search Tool

There are two types of salary increases: permanent base-salary increases and temporary salary adjustments. Please reach out to Wilson College OHR (Textiles-HR@ncsu.edu) if you would like to put in a salary increase request. The request must go through the following approval process in order for the salary increase to be processed: Wilson College OHR, Department Head, Classification and Compensation, and the Chancellor (some requests may need to go to UNC System Office approval as well).

SHRA Qualifying Reasons for a Salary Increase

• Additional job duties – When there is a substantive increase in the scope and/or complexity of the job. This includes temporary adjustments with a defined start and stop date. Note: Such an increase may not be justified solely on the basis of increased work volume.
• Position reclassification – Where application of the career banding pay factors will determine the base salary.
• Competitive-hiring events – Where application of the career banding pay factors will determine the base salary
• Equity – When employees in the same position/branch/role/competency are performing very similar work with a similar level of competence to those who have a higher pay rate and the pay discrepancy has no apparent justification.
• Labor Market – When an employee’s salary is less than the position’s assigned market rate. Managers may request a salary increase up to, but not exceeding, the assigned market rate.
• Employee retention – When employees have a documented offer for a comparable position (i.e. not an obvious promotion) outside of state employment and have given that documentation to their managers and the employee has skills or knowledge that would be difficult to replace.
• Increase in SHRA employee competencies – When there is a documented change in component competency ratings or overall ratings between two Employee Competency Assessment (ECA) reviews.
• Change in FTE due to a schedule change – When there has been no change in annualized compensation.

More information regarding SHRA salary increases can be found on NC State’s Class and Compensation website.

EHRA Qualifying Reasons for a Salary Increase

• Internal Competitive Event – Employee applies for an internally recruited job vacancy, is selected competitively and changes jobs to a different position.
• External Competitive Event – Employee applies for an externally recruited job vacancy, is selected competitively and changes jobs to a different position.
• Increase in job duties or responsibilities; includes reallocation or reclassification of job – Substantive increase in the scope and/or complexity of the job. Minor changes in duties and responsibilities should be addressed during the Annual Raise Process.
• Temporary adjustment related to an increase in job duties or responsibilities; salary will revert when temporary duties cease (Temporary salary increases do not count cumulatively towards the permanent salary exception process)
• Retention – Requires documented job offer or verifiable, active employment negotiations by a current EHRA employee with an outside entity.
• Equity – Used to address documented salary-equity issues when employees in the same position/job family/job level are performing very similar work with a similar level of competence and experience to those who have a higher pay rate and the pay discrepancy has no apparent justification. Justification for an increase due to internal-equity issues must identify the inequity and justify the rate of increase based on the relative job level, education, credentials, and/or experience of the affected employees.
• Labor Market – Used to address job equity in comparison to the market or “labor market,” which is defined as the area within which employers compete for labor. The market is composed of those institutions, businesses, and organizations from which the university units recruit or would logically recruit job candidates. Justification for an increase due to the labor market and/or external-equity issues must be substantiated by market survey data if the position is not assigned to a job family/level in the EHRA (EPA) Compensation Structure. Note: The proposed increase may not exceed the position’s assigned market reference rate.

More information regarding EHRA salary increases can be found on NC State’s Class and Compensation website.

Information above derived from UNC HR website.

• Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
• Employer Benefits Contributions
• Fellowship Payments
• Imputed Income
• Longevity Pay
• Non-Salary Compensation – Includes relocation allowance, vehicle and parking expenses, club memberships, athletic and cultural events, discounts and privileges, employer-provided benefit: educational assistance, and incentive compensation. 
• Paycheck “Gross to Net” Calculator
• Policies and Procedures for Dual Employment Between Two or More State Government Agencies
• Requesting a Replacement Check